Binding pages with your own hands

There are different ways to make the binding of the pages yourself, but one of the simplest and most popular ones is Coptic binding pages. In this way, Coptic papyrus sheets, the first Egyptian Christians, were stitched, even at the dawn of our era. The advantage of this kind of binding is that the notebook is of uniform thickness and does not "swell".

Coptic binding of pages is very beautiful and tidy. To make a Coptic binding of pages, you will need:

• paper from which you want to make pages


• a needle and strong threads


• pin (if the needle has a blunt tip)


• PVA glue or other good glue for paper


• brush for glue


• substrate (piece of boxboard, rubber mat, etc.)

First you need to prepare page blocks, from which we will sew a notepad. To do this, each sheet needs to be folded twice, and then make a notebook out of them. One notebook is three sheets enclosed in one another. The more notebooks you make, the thicker the result will be a notebook.

Take the first notebook and put it on the substrate. After unfolding the notebook, use a needle or a pin on the fold line several holes (the distance between holes is 2-4 cm, you canto determine by eye). Holes on the other notebooks are made, guided by the first notebook. Bending the first notebook, put it on the opened second, aligning the fold lines, and make holes in the second notebook, focusing on the first one. As a sample for all other notebooks, it's best to use the first one too.

When you "pierce" all the notebooks, start them stitch. To do this, you need to insert a single thread in the notebookfrom the outside of the fold, leaving a small "tail", and pull out through the last hole at the opposite end. Then take the second notebook, align the holes with the first one and insert the needle with the thread into the last hole of the second notebook. Having made a stitch from the inside of the second notebook, output the thread. Then, take the needle and thread to the inside of the first notebook. Find the very first long stitch, hook on it with a needle at the level of the hole through which the needle is threaded, and take the needle through the same hole.

To make the binding dense, monitor the tension of the thread, periodically pulling up the left "tail". Bring out the needle and again take her inside the second notebook, make a stitch in the next hole, take the needle inside the first notebook, again hook the needle by the thread and lead to the same hole. Repeat these stitches until you reach the last hole in the second exercise book. When you pull the thread outward, its two ends should converge around one hole. Tie a string to a strong knot and cut off excess.

The third notebook is sewn to the second. To do this, you need to attach it to the second notebook,aligning the holes, and stick the needle into the first hole of the third notebook. Having made a stitch inside the third notebook, pull out the needle and thread it through a small stitch between the second and first notebooks. You should get a loop. Enter the needle in it, as if you are going to make a knot, tighten the loop and prick the needle inside the third notebook. Make a stitch inside the third notebook, from the outside again hook on the needle for a small stitch between the first and second notebooks ... and then - according to the worked out scheme: loop, tightening, prick inside the notebook. Repeat the manipulations until you reach the last hole, hook the needle by the stitch and tighten the loop.

In the same way all the rest are sewn togethernotebooks. Having reached the required thickness of the notebook, make the last loop and tighten the thread. To fix it, prick the needle in the nearest stitch, make a loop, insert the thread into it and tighten it. Cropping the thread, Blot the block with a small amount of glue and put the notebook under the press so it will dry.

As you can see, it is not so difficult to make a binding of pages with your own hands, the main thing - a bit of accuracy and patience!